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The kitchen is the heart and hub of any home. While you may spend most of your time in other rooms, the state of the kitchen is sure to reflect in all areas of your life. A messy and cluttered kitchen makes it difficult to have family dinners, healthy, home-cooked meals and can be an all around stressor. If youre ready to clean out your kitchen, but dont know where to start, these tips are for you.

Vet Your Spice Rack
If your spice rack is overrun, its time to toss anything unnecessary. Ground spices generally last only six months. Spice doesnt necessarily expire the same way other foods can, but it does start to lose its potency overtime. Keep your meals fresh and tasty while decluttering your counters and pantry by discarding any old spices. An easy way to test if a spice is old? Simply sniff them; if they dont smell as fresh as they used to, they likely wont pack a punch in your next dish.

Rethink Your Seasonal Items
Those extra-special Christmas dishes that you havent used for fear of breaking or the fondue pot that you swear you will use for a party someday should not take up space in your kitchen. Decide if you truly plan to use them or if its just wishful thinking. If the item isnt useful or overly sentimental, it may be time to pass it along to a new owner. If you just cant part with it, move it to a storage spot. Consider also storing seasonal items you do use. Since you dont need them everyday, youll save room for the items you do use consistently.

Pair Down Your Dinnerware
Most households dont need a dish set for 12. If youre not regularly hosting dinner parties, you may benefit from donating or storing your additional dinnerware. Keep four of everything for households of two and a little more for larger families. You will cut down on dishes in the evening (since no one will simply reach for a clean plate instead of doing dishes) and you will save space in your cabinets. A win-win solution.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you own a house, you need homeowners insurance to pay for repairs or stolen belongings. Many people believe that homeowners insurance will cover any necessary repairs, but it actually applies only in limited circumstances. A home warranty can provide protection in other cases.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Homeowners insurance will pay for losses caused by a covered peril, such as a storm, fire, theft or vandalism, up to the policys limits. Depending on the coverage you choose, your policy may cover replacement cost, which is the amount of money required to purchase a new identical or substantially similar item, or actual cash value, which takes depreciation into account.

What Does a Home Warranty Cover?
A home warranty is not insurance, but rather a contract that a homeowner signs with a home warranty company. It will pay to repair or replace a broken appliance that is not covered by a separate manufacturers warranty.

A home warranty may cover major systems, such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing, as well as major appliances, such as a refrigerator, stove, oven, washer and dryer. Many companies offer basic plans with limited coverage and allow homeowners to add optional coverage for an additional fee. A home warranty may only pay to repair or replace appliances or parts in certain circumstances, and a broken appliance will not necessarily be replaced with one that was made by the same manufacturer or that has the same features.

Home warranties often exclude coverage for appliances or systems that werent well maintained. If you bought a house and the previous owner didnt take care of something, a home warranty might not cover repairs even if you performed all recommended maintenance after you purchased the house.

Who Makes Repairs?
Some warranties allow homeowners to choose a repair company, while others work with a network of service providers. When a homeowner files a claim, the home warranty company sends a local contractor to the home to inspect the problem, decide whether repairs are required and covered by the warranty and complete covered repairs.

How Much Does a Home Warranty Cost?
The cost of a home warranty depends on the type and size of the home, the location and the coverage chosen. The homeowner must pay a service fee when a contractor comes to inspect a problem, whether the issue is covered by the warranty or not. If two different types of contractors, such as a plumber and an electrician, are needed to complete repairs, the homeowner may have to pay a fee for each.

Is a Home Warranty Right for You?
Even if you have homeowners insurance, there are a lot of things it wont cover. A home warranty can protect you from large and unexpected repair bills. Before choosing a home warranty, research several companies and find out what each of their planscover and how much the premiums and service fees would be so you can make an informed decision.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you want to buy a house and youll need to take out a mortgage, getting your credit score as high as possible should be a top priority before you begin searching for a home. Your credit score will be used to set your interest rate, so be sure to stay on top of it.

Check Your Credit Reports for Errors
Start by requesting copies of your credit reports from the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Check them for inaccurate information and dispute any errors. Its important to check all three credit reports since the bureaus may have different information.

Pay Down Debt
Your credit utilization ratio is calculated by dividing the sum of your credit card balances by the sum of your credit limits to arrive at a percentage. A lower utilization ratio will translate into a higher credit score.

If youre using a lot of your available credit, work on paying down your debt. You can do that by cutting expenses, looking for a second job or side gig, applying gifts or income tax refunds to your credit card bills, selling some of your belongings or consolidating high-interest credit card balances into one loan with a lower interest rate.

Pay Bills on Time
Your payment history is another important piece of your credit score. Late payments, accounts in collection, bankruptcies and other derogatory marks can stay on your credit report and affect your score for different periods of time. Pay your bills on time each month. If you have any past-due bills, pay them off or contact the companies and work out repayment plans.

Keep Old Accounts Open
Credit bureaus consider the length of your credit history when calculating your score. If you have old credit cards that you dont use often, dont close the accounts. That would shorten the length of your credit history and would also reduce your available credit and increase your credit utilization ratio. Keep old accounts in good standing by making occasional purchases.

Be Careful With New Credit
Applying for a new credit card could be helpful, especially if it would allow you to transfer high-interest balances to take advantage of a lower rate. Just dont apply for too many new accounts in a short period of time. That could hurt your credit score since lenders might think you were struggling financially or couldnt handle credit responsibly.

Give Yourself Time to Work on Your Credit
The length of time it will take to raise your credit score and how much you will be able to increase it will depend on your current score, your payment history, your debt level, your income and how much you can afford to apply toward existing debts each month. Think of boosting your credit score as a medium- to long-term endeavor. Create a plan to address any problems so you can achieve your goal of owning a home.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If youre thinking about painting, consider the mood you want the room to promote. Whether its your kitchen, bathroom or home office, the color you choose will affect how you and others will feel.

So, if youre searching for the perfect color for your living room, bedroom or a general color scheme for throughout your home, look no further. Here are seven colors to consider adding to your home”and how they can affect your mood.

Blue
If youre looking for a color that will promote relaxation and rest, go for blue. As a calming color, blue is often used in bathrooms and bedrooms. Anywhere in your home that you expect to wind down and clear your mind, especially when theres lots of natural light, would be a great room for this color choice. Blue can also be a generally neutral color, matching with most furnishings, materials and styles. Just be sure to pick the right hue, as a pastel or icy blue can come off cold and unwelcoming and darker blues can promote sadness. Use these shades as accent colors instead.

Yellow
Its no surprise that choosing yellow will evoke happiness, similar to sunshine. As an energizing color, yellow is a great choice for a kitchen or home office, and again, where there is plenty of natural light. A bright shade can open up a smaller room, however, you may want to opt for a lighter shade if you plan on using it in your main color scheme. If there is too much bright yellow throughout your home, it can get overwhelming. As a color that stimulates your nerves”and can sometimes overstimulate”you want to avoid too much yellow in nurseries or young childrens rooms.

Red
Similar to yellow, red is an energizing color. Unlike blue, however, red promotes feelings of excitement and adrenaline. Some homeowners have chosen this color for bedrooms, while others have used it in more social areas, as its a color thats great for entertaining and stimulating conversations. Red is a great color for an accent wall, avoiding overstimulation while still making a bold statement.

Green
For a fresh, natural color that exudes happiness and relaxation, green is a great paint choice that can be used throughout the entire home. Mixing the moods of blue and yellow encourages people to unwind and converse in an anxiety-free area. From your home office, where youll feel encouraged, to a kitchen or living room, where you can feel connected to nature while spending time with loved ones, green can be a great starting point for your homes main color scheme.

Purple
For those looking for a romantic color, but dont want to make as bold of a statement as red, purple is a luxurious option. Known historically as a royal tone, this deep, dramatic color choice gives off a creative and mysterious feeling, perfect for a den or bedroom. Though, with lighter hues, such as lavender, purple can also be a unique choice for a childs room or a bathroom, promoting a sense of calm and rest. Purple tones can also be brought into a color scheme as accent walls or decor to create a sophisticated depth to any design.

Orange
Another interesting mix, similar to red and yellow, orange provokes energy and excitement. Because this is such a unique color choice, you often only see it in decor and accent tones. But that doesnt mean you cant paint a wall or room with orange. In fact, orange is a great color for a home gym or playroom, exuding light and vitality, perfect for exercise and creativity. Orange is also known to stimulate appetite, which can make it an interesting choice in a kitchen or dining area.

White
Though white is a very basic color, and many shades from eggshell to cream to bright white fall under this category, it exudes cleanliness and free, open space, which is a classic look in any home. White ceilings, especially when you have other colors or patterns on your walls, can give off the impression that its higher and the room is larger. Because whites are the most neutral color you can paint, its always a safe choice no matter the style youre going for. White can be easily paired with any color, as well as endless patterns and design schemes, while promoting a happy medium of whatever color and mood you choose.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Refinancing your mortgage and switching to a shorter term might help you save money, but it doesnt work that way in all circumstances. For some homeowners, paying off a mortgage early can cost more or make it harder to achieve other financial goals.

Reasons to Consider Switching to a Shorter Term
A mortgage with a shorter term has a lower interest rate than a longer-term loan. Shortening the term of your mortgage would help you spend less on interest over the life of the loan and pay off the mortgage sooner.

Why Refinancing Might Not Be the Right Move
Shortening your loan term would increase your mortgage payments significantly. That could be a financial stretch, especially if your job isnt secure, your income varies or you are raising a family. Refinancing would also require you to pay closing costs.

If you need to save for retirement or for your childrens college education, it might be better to focus on those goals first. When it comes to saving for retirement and education, the earlier you start investing, the more you can benefit from compounded interest.

High-interest credit cards can eat up a large chunk of your monthly income and can take a long time to pay off. You might be better off tackling your credit card bills before refinancing your home loan.

Paying off your mortgage earlier could help you build equity, but those funds would be harder to access than money in a savings account. If making higher monthly mortgage payments would leave you without a readily accessible source of cash, refinancing might not be a good idea.

At the beginning of a mortgage repayment period, a large portion of each payment goes toward interest. Later, more money is used to reduce the principal. If youve been paying off your mortgage for several years and most of your payments now go toward principal, refinancing would set you back to the stage where most of your payments went toward interest. Depending on your specific circumstances, you might lose money overall.

Other Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster
If your current mortgage doesnt have a prepayment penalty, you could pay a little extra each month or make extra payments with money from a bonus, income tax refund or gift. Just be sure to instruct your loan servicer to apply the additional payments to your principal.

Should You Refinance?
Shortening the payback period and reducing the total amount of interest you will have to pay can be appealing, but those shouldnt necessarily be your top priorities. Depending on where you are in your repayment period, refinancing might not save you much money, or any at all. Increasing your monthly payments could also make it difficult to reach your other financial objectives. Think about all your goals and your overall financial situation to decide whether refinancing to a shorter loan term is the best move.

Published with permission from RISMedia.